GABELLI & Co INVESTMENT ADVISERS INC. Takes Position in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI)

GABELLI & Co INVESTMENT ADVISERS INC. purchased a new position in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 2,220 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock, valued at approximately $228,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in MKSI. New York Life Investment Management LLC raised its stake in MKS Instruments by 118.8% in the third quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 6,386 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $553,000 after purchasing an additional 3,467 shares in the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank raised its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 6.2% during the 3rd quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 40,499 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $3,505,000 after buying an additional 2,347 shares in the last quarter. Swiss National Bank lifted its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 132,100 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $11,432,000 after acquiring an additional 1,500 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 12.6% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 586,803 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $50,782,000 after acquiring an additional 65,502 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pathstone Family Office LLC grew its position in MKS Instruments by 66.3% in the third quarter. Pathstone Family Office LLC now owns 3,559 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $308,000 after acquiring an additional 1,419 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.79% of the company’s stock.

MKS Instruments Trading Up 6.8 %

MKSI stock traded up $8.44 on Wednesday, reaching $132.09. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,226,771 shares, compared to its average volume of 730,745. The firm has a market cap of $8.86 billion, a PE ratio of -4.95, a PEG ratio of 4.24 and a beta of 1.65. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $124.74 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $113.11. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a 12-month low of $63.44 and a 12-month high of $135.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.94, a quick ratio of 2.34 and a current ratio of 3.69.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 8th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.75 by $0.43. MKS Instruments had a negative net margin of 48.24% and a positive return on equity of 13.90%. The business had revenue of $868.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $848.94 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.48 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 4.45 EPS for the current year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 7th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, May 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.67%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 24th. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -3.30%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on MKSI shares. KeyCorp raised their price target on MKS Instruments from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on MKS Instruments from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 2nd. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $142.00 price target on shares of MKS Instruments in a research report on Friday, May 10th. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price target on shares of MKS Instruments from $145.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of MKS Instruments from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $141.25.

Insider Transactions at MKS Instruments

In other MKS Instruments news, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.41, for a total transaction of $35,587.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 18,209 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,356,426.69. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.51% of the company’s stock.

About MKS Instruments

MKS Instruments, Inc provides foundational technology solutions to semiconductor manufacturing, electronics and packaging, and specialty industrial applications in the United States, Germany, China, South Korea, and internationally. It operates through Vacuum Solutions Division (VSD), Photonics Solutions Division (PSD), and Material Solutions Division (MSD) segments.